A photo of a Nigerian being attacked by angry South Africans has left many people seriously shocked why innocent citizens from other countries are treated badly by locals in South Africa.

This is coming as at least 20 shops belonging to immigrants were looted in South Africa’s capital overnight, police said, yesterday, but could not confirm if the attacks had deliberately targeted foreigners.

However, the South African High Commissioner to Nigeria, Lulu Louis Mnguni, yesterday, condemned the attack on Nigerians in very strong words, saying the attack violated all the values of South Africans.

The attacks on Nigerians has propelled the National Assembly to want to review all laws that have to do with Nigerian citizens in other countries, with a view to bringing an end to all unwarranted attacks on the people.

South African police said they did not yet know the motive for the latest attacks, and no deaths had been reported.

Police spokeswoman, Mathapelo Peters, said:

“There are allegations that these shops belong to foreign nationals. It is alleged that the community members are saying that these shops were used for drug dealing but that is unconfirmed. We will only be able to start a formal investigation once the shop owners come forward.”

The South African government, however, condemned the violence against Nigerians in strongest possible terms yesterday, saying the attack violated all the values of South Africans.

South African High Commission to Nigeria, Lulu Louis Mnguni, who spoke for his government in Abuja, said:

“When you talk of Tambo, he taught us about respecting humanity that must work towards people realising their full humanness because our struggle against apartheid was a struggle against dehumanization of people, it was a struggle for human rights. And given the basis of our constitution, the basis of our foreign policies is that of human rights.

“The mob attack defies South African values for respect of human life, human dignity because we say ‘I am because you are’. I cannot realise my full humanity without you realizing your own and also no amount of frustration or anger can ever justify the attacks on foreign nationals.”